What is the UCSB Communication Major Stigma, You Ask?
It’s the idea that “anyone can complete this major with no effort at all.”
It’s the “fall back major that everyone declares when they decide STEM majors aren’t for them.”
It’s the major that becomes the butt of all jokes when someone asks what the major “actually studies.”
It’s the smug look you get when you explain the merits of being a comm major only to feel discouraged when you realize that they don’t have the sincere curiosity of what the curriculum actually entails.
But here is what they forget:
1. Communication has a pre-major, AND it has one of the highest GPA requirements of all majors offered at UCSB.
Many may not know this, but UCSB provides one of the most comprehensive communication courses in the UC System. Communication, is, in fact, extremely difficult to get into if you are a slacker. It most definitely weeds out the people who are less dedicated. Might I add, that most of the pre-requirement classes are all 8 AM classes. That means that people who go to class, want to be there, and want to do well. The minimum GPA requirement to get into the major is 3.0, no exceptions.
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2. Graduating with just a communication degree is not enough, which is why we are highly involved.
Unlike many of the majors which already have a set path to a specific occupation, communication majors have more versatility in terms of choosing what they want to do with their life. The doors of public relations, law, advertising, event planning, finance, government relations, social services, and media industry are all open to Communication majors. It is not enough to graduate with just a communication major. We get involved, we get internships, we network, we go out to interviews, and we actively experience the “real world” to get an upperhand in the competitive field of Communication. This major requires dedication, and not people who don’t know what they are going to do with it. A degree probably won’t cut it, its the experience of college and what we make of it that will make us stand out in the market.
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3. Communication is a competitive field as well as a creative field.
This is how it works. We are given a set of basic rules of communication and it is up to us to figure out what to do with it. If you have ever asked a communication major what communication really is, and their answer is vague, then this is why. Many communication majors create their path. There is no “set” path for us to follow. It allows us to get creative, because to be honest, communication is needed in every field.
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4. If you are in Communication, the chances are, you know what you’re going to do with your life.
Again, many of us don’t jump into it not knowing what the major entails. We know what it is, and we know what we are going to do with it. Even though it may not be a step by step plan, we are in this major to figure out how to get there, just like all of us here at UCSB.
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5. We dedicate so much time to studying Communication and we love doing it.
If you have ever bumped into a student studying at the library for a Comm 1 class, then you know that they have probably dedicated hours to studying dozens of theories and terms for the exam. But when we attend lecture, the material seldom seems dry, and the professors are absolutely amazing. Beyond the essays and difficult exams, everything learned is etched into memory and used in my day to day life.
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Among the communication community, there are so many different colors and personalities that there is no solid identity. But if there is one thing that should change, it’s the notorious reputation of being slackers and “back up” plans of all the majors in UCSB.